


Tony Cuts the Wire

by wheresmyfroggy



Category: Marvel (Movies), The Avengers (2012)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-02-21
Updated: 2013-02-21
Packaged: 2017-12-03 04:38:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 898
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/694249
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wheresmyfroggy/pseuds/wheresmyfroggy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Steve tries to lay down on the wire. Tony cuts it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Tony Cuts the Wire

**Author's Note:**

> Written as a fill for this prompt at the Avengers Kink Meme:
> 
> http://avengerkink.livejournal.com/5102.html?thread=5838318#t5838318
> 
> "So I'd like to see an occasion where Steve is forced to admit that while heroics are great, they're a one-trick deal. And you get survivor guilt too. I'd like to see him watching Tony in action and thinking that, hey, you don't have to half kill yourself to make saving the world/other people meaningful/worthwhile."

_Doesn’t Loki_ _ever get tired of this?_ Steve thought as the battle raged around him.  Once again on the streets of New York.  Once again fighting the Chi’tauri.  Even HYDRA wasn’t this monotonous.

Pivoting to bash another alien in the head with his shield, Steve catches a glimpse of the God of Mischief about a block away.  Doing battle with both Thor and Natasha, Loki appears to be enjoying himself, despite the fact that his forces are losing the fight.

“Hawkeye,” Steve calls through his communicator as he dodges an energy beam shot his way and punches another alien that had gotten too close.  “What’s the situation up there?”

“Loki’s forces are contained,” Barton answers calmly.  “No portal means no reinforcements.  We should be done here in about five minutes.  Hey, you guys want to get shawarma again?”

Ignoring the archer’s joking, Steve’s brow furrows.  “If he’s losing so bad, then why’s he look so happy?”

“You mean why’s the Wicked Witch of the West having such a good time?” Tony’s sarcastic response comes over the comm.  Steve can’t see him, but he knows Stark is somewhere in the air above, working with Hawkeye to keep the Chi’tauri contained.  “Oh, I don’t know. Maybe because he’s a Grade A psycho!”

“I just don’t like it,” Steve concedes, as he is forced to leap off the car he has been fighting on by the Hulk stampeding past, clearing out a squadron of Chi’tauri that were gathering to attack him.  Landing neatly in a crouch, Steve looks up in time to see Loki aim his staff directly at Thor’s chest and fire a blast of blue energy.  A pained yell from Thor is something the other Avengers aren’t accustomed to hearing, as the demigod is sent careening into the closest building.  Natasha lets out a low growl and tries to catch Loki with a right hook, but he neatly grabs her wrist and, with a cruel smile, twists.

“You have heart,” Loki utters mockingly, and slowly begins to lower his staff towards Natasha’s chest.

Steve bolts.  _No time._ Even with his enhanced speed, Steve doubts he can make it in time.  _Shove her out of the way._ He sees a Chi’tauri coming at him from the side, trying to head him off.  _No time. No choice._ Without breaking stride, he throws his shield at the alien and continues sprinting towards Natasha.  The staff still descending towards his teammate, Steve running full tilt, it’s nearly touching her.  _Now!_ Steve dives.

BOOM!  An explosion pushes Steve and Natasha aside, both landing heavily in the rubble.  Ears ringing, Steve looks up to see Tony landing nearby, left repulsor still aimed at Loki, even as he shimmers and disappears with that smirk still plastered all over his face.  As Loki disappears, the Chi’tauri all become inert and collapse around them.

“What was that?” Steve demands as he rolls to his feet, turning to help Natasha up as well.

Tony’s visor pops open as he bends down to pick up the fallen staff, which is slightly charred.  “Ladies and gentlemen I give you: The Glow Stick of Doom,” he says with mock reverence as he turns and presents the staff to Steve.

Steve’s anger comes quickly to the surface as he notices Natasha cradling her left arm, which is sporting some fresh burns from the explosion.  Turning on Tony, he jerks the staff out of his hand.  “I said: What was that?”

Tony blinks once before his trademark smirk appears.  “That was me saving both your sorry butts.  You’re welcome, by the way,” and he starts to turn away.  Steve grabs him by the shoulder.

“You shot this thing? You had no idea what that would do! You could have killed us both.”

“I know how much power is in that thing, and that any explosion would be relatively minor,” Tony said, still smirking.  “You weren’t going to make it, Cap.  So I took the only shot I had.” 

“You don’t know that.  I could have made it.  You took an unnecessary risk.”

Tony lets out a short bark of laughter.  “Did I?  I had a bird’s-eye view,” he reminds Steve, pointing towards the sky.  “I saw the angle. Even if you had made it, it would have been you getting touched by that thing instead of Natasha.  And I really didn’t feel like going hand-to-hand with a senior citizen today.”

There is silence as Steve absorbs Tony’s words.  He hadn’t considered that he might get hit with the staff instead.  He remembers seeing Loki start to lower it towards Natasha and there was only one thought, one goal: _Save Her._ His instinct to protect had kicked in and he hadn’t been able to see anything else.

Tony did.  Ever logical, ever the scientist, Tony had calculated in a fraction of a second the multitude of outcomes and chosen the one that would keep everyone out of harm’s way.  _Permanent harm, anyway_ , Steve told himself, glancing at Natasha’s arm again.

Steve had tried to jump on the grenade.  Tony ran in and kicked it away at the last second.

Dropping his grip on Tony’s shoulder, Steve gave him a quick, silent nod.  Tony’s smirk grew into a full-grown smile.  “I’m going to find Banner, you better check on Thor,” Tony says.  “And grab Sherwood Forest while you’re at it, we’re **definitely** going out for shawarma.”


End file.
